Gamers. By itself, it’s a word that innocently names people who play games. But who would you call a gamer? Somebody who plays fantasy football? Poker? Pokemon? Chess? More than likely, if you call someone a gamer it’s probably because they play tabletop, computer, or video games on a regular basis.

Do you want to be called a “gamer?”

If you’ve avoided the label, you’re not alone. While I don’t have the stats to say for sure, it’s not uncommon for me to meet so-called “closet gamers,” which are people who enjoy the occasional game ( or play the Nintendo Wii which some don’t consider to be true gaming ) but don’t really want to be lumped in with the stereotypes.

Gamers often get bad reputations because really gaming is about having fun and escaping the real world. That’s scary to a lot of people, because we’re trained to work and be productive. Games, cartoons, comics, and anime are supposed to be for kids, right? Never mind the success of Sin City, Resident Evil IV the video game, or Blood: the Last Vampire anime. Even though there are dozens of examples of adult-themed media that are out on the market, I often get the impression that society infers individual examples are okay as long as they are popular. A well-loved comic book like the Dark Tower series by Stephen King is then “socially acceptable” because it’s an exception—not the rule.

Productivity versus laziness seems to be a constant theme—even though we work, commute, do our errands and spend time with our families every day. Gaming is everything but being responsible, but is it?

Point blank, I game (when I do) because I need that break. I need to be able to sit down and forget about everything I have planned for the day and take the time to relax. I believe that allowing yourself to take time off from your day is healthy—provided it doesn’t get out of control. This year, I haven’t had the time to game (even occasionally) because I added in a few other things. Working out, writing, and socializing are all things I enjoy doing, so I’ll fit in gaming when I have the time.

No matter what you find enjoyment in, it’s easy to feel guilty about escaping life to have fun. For a lot of people, the label “gamer” might just be a painful reminder that they’re procrastinating or spending time doing something other than what they should be doing. I often find people are more receptive to the idea that I write and design games rather than when I just mention I’m playing.

The other side to the gamer label is that it does have a very real, very negative connotation to it. There are gamers who are addicted to it, giving up real-life responsibilities to play for hours on end. Sometimes, you hear about these gamers in the news, especially when politics or crime are involved. I had posted about when gamers do good things because you rarely hear about the positive because it never seems to be newsworthy enough. Yet, gaming in moderation can often enhance social skills, healthy competition, motor skills, and a long laundry list of other benefits. When was the last time you’ve heard about what good gaming can do for you?

Some gamers are also geeks, interested in science fiction, fantasy, horror, or niche games like LARP or the tabletop version that I design. Within the geek culture, there are often different types of people from every profession, age, weight, religion, race and creed. I’ve met some LARPers that are VPs of companies, CEOs that have played MMORPGs. Those are the gamers you rarely hear about: the ones you usually do have some issue or flaw that somebody else has to point out or put down—other stereotypes that you may have heard and don’t want to be associated with.

What about you? Have you been treated strangely when you admit you’re a gamer? Do you avoid it because of the stereotype or not sure what it is?